


Hunted

by JJstories



Series: Hunted [1]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M, Gen, My First AO3 Post, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-07-28 09:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16238603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJstories/pseuds/JJstories
Summary: This is the story of my life; the life I had until everything changed...until I changed. A life I wanted so badly I went across the country to get it. This is the story of how my life was thrown to ash in the blink of an eye. This is the story of how the predator became the prey. How the hunter became the hunted...





	1. Chapter One

_Blood covers every corner of the room. It turns the once stark, white walls, scarlet. In, the center of the room sits a figure tied to a chair. Her dark hair covers part of her face and her eyes are focused on the door in front of her. She is waiting for the door to open. She knows once it does, her nightmare will start over again. The room floods with light and she closes her eyes, praying for the darkness to return._

  At seven a.m, the last thing anyone wants to hear is an alarm going off. Unfortunately for me, this is exactly what happens at seven a.m. Ignoring my body’s silent scream to go back to sleep, I reluctantly throw off the blankets. I grab a quick shower and dress in skinny jeans with a long black sleeve tee shirt. I slip on my white converse and a white scarf before putting my hair up in a messy bun. I grab my bag and head downstairs to tell Rose goodbye and grab a muffin. It takes me about ten minutes to find the wooden building that will be my prison for the next few years. I follow the crowd inside until I find the office. Before I can even open the door, a small woman with dark curly hair and a huge smile emerges.

“You must be Mia Wolfe. We are so excited that you are here. I cannot believe another Wolfe is passing through our doors. It seems like just yesterday that your dad was here. Now, here is your schedule and locker combination. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will, thanks,” I say.

She walks back into the office and I head down the hallway in the direction I assume my first class is. I’m so busy looking at my schedule, I don’t notice the person careening towards me until they are practically on top of me.

“Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to run into you.”

I look up from my newfound spot on the floor and into the face of a dark-haired boy with matching eyes and cute smile.

“Let me help you up,” he says, offering his hand.

“Thanks,” I say. I take his hand and pull myself up from the floor.

“No problem. Again, I’m sorry about running into you.”

“Don’t worry about it. No harm, no foul,” I say.

“I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new?”

“That obvious, huh?”

He shakes his head, “no. I know almost everyone around here and I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Well, you would be correct. It’s my first day.”

He sticks his hand out and slips me a slight smile. “I’m Seth. Seth Clearwater.”

“Mia, Mia Wolfe.”

I take his outstretched hand and it is suddenly like everything becomes perfectly clear. Electricity shoots up my arm and everything looks so much clearer. My breath catches in my throat, somehow Seth and I are a breath away. We jump apart, and he rubs the back of his neck, awkwardly. We spend the next few minutes in silence as we walk down the hallway. I’m not sure what happened, but neither one of us wants to talk about it. After a few minutes of silence, Seth attempts conversation. He tells me about La Push and I tell him about living in New York. When we finally reach my class, I completely forget about the moment we had. We say our goodbyes and I grab a seat at the back of the class. The teacher is a man with light blonde hair, khakis, and a blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up halfway. He writes on the board and everyone pulls out their notebooks.

“Everyone have a seat. My name is Mr. Walsh or Mr. W. I see that we have a new face amount us today, Miss…” He looks down at his class roster and then back up at me. “Wolfe, is it? I grew up with quite a few of your relatives I believe. Why don’t you stand up and tell the class a little about yourself?”

I clear my throat before standing up. “Um… my name is Mia and I’m from New York. My parents grew up here in La Push and my grandmother still lives here. I came to live with her because I needed a change of scenery,” I say.

Mr. Walsh nods, “thank you. Now, if everyone will please turn their attention to the front of the board. We will continue with yesterday’s lesson. Miss. Wolfe, if you have any questions feel free to interrupt.”

He starts the lesson and class gets underway and for one hour he has our full-blown attention.

_His pulse is racing at all the pain he imagines he can inflict. The second he saw her, he knew she was the one. She’s perfect. He restrains himself though. Oh, how he would enjoy ripping her open. He can’t wait to watch it, soon the fantasy he has had for years will become a reality. Not yet though, the game isn’t ready yet. Playing it too soon could ruin the fun. So, he will wait until he finds the perfect moment. He has been waiting for sixteen years for this moment… what’s a few more days?_


	2. Chapter Two

    My breath fills the air as the world goes colder. The hallway is void of students and time itself feels like it has stopped. I look around, unsure of what is going on and afraid that I'm about to be mass murdered by Michael Myers. I notice someone at the end of the hallway right as they turn the corner. I stand in front of my locker for a minute, silently debating if I should follow or not. Taking a deep breath, I move to follow the person at the end of the hallway. As I turn the corner, our eyes meet, and it is like I am frozen in place. My whole body loses the ability to move and I lose the will to move it. He reaches a hand out as if to stroke my face, but it drops to his side and he shakes his head.

"It's not time yet," he says.

He quickly turns away and disappears down the hall. I heave in the air as my body gains its ability to move back.

     _He had spotted her walking down the hallway and couldn't help himself. He has spent so long dreaming of all the things he would do once he found the perfect girl. He can hear her screams for mercy ringing in his ears. It will be pure ecstasy, better than anything he has ever imagined. She had seen though, at the end of the hallway. At first, he thought he had found his perfect moment. But it felt wrong. He isn't ready yet, but he gave himself a taste. A taste of what it would be like when she was helpless against him and under his complete control. Oh, it would be great...it would be ecstasy._

I splash water on my face in the bathroom and take a deep breath, trying to think about what just happened. Except, there is nothing but a dark hole in my memory. All I can remember is being afraid and then feeling like I couldn't move. I shake my head to clear it and tell myself that I'm just tired from my first day. I pull out my phone and call Rose, my grandmother. I let her know I am going to the library to start the two tons of homework I have. Rose is one of the cool grandmas. With a radiant smile, dark full eyes, and a figure that makes women half her age jealous, she reminds me of a movie star. The type of movie star that would be in a jazz club laughing alongside Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, or Marilyn Monroe. She agrees to my library study session as long as I am home for dinner. Agreeing to this, I hang up and head to the local library.

**A Few Hours Later...**

I sigh and close my math book, stretching. I have been here for two hours and it feels like I've barely knocked out half of what I'm supposed to do. My phone rings and the librarian shoots me a dirty look before pointing outside. Apologizing, I walk outside to take the call.

"Hello?"

All I can hear is my heart pounding in my chest as the nurse explains that Rose was attacked. She goes on to say that she is in critical condition and that the neighbor was the one who found her. My vision goes dark as the ground rushes up to meet me.

     _The first part of the game is complete. The poor, old woman never saw it coming. The look of fear on her face as she realized that it was the end is better than he had imagined. A feeling of power had overtaken him as he watched the light fade from her eyes. It was intoxicating and calling him back. It is begging him to play again and play again he will..._


	3. Chapter Three

    

My pulse is still racing as the nurse reluctantly lets me off the hospital bed. It feels like I have been waiting forever on news about Rose. The nurse at the front desk is refusing to tell me anything and exhaustion is setting in. I am thinking about yelling at someone for answers when someone interrupts me.

“How is she doing?”

I look up and focus on the body in front of me. Seth takes a seat on my left, a look of deep concern on his face.

“I don’t know. They let me off my hospital bed, and the nurse is refusing to tell me anything.”

He nods, and we sit in silence for a minute before I realize I have no idea what Seth is doing here.

“Seth, what are you doing here?” I ask.

“I was driving by when they picked-up Rose. I figure that she’s the only person you know around here, so you might need some moral support.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Oh, and I brought this.”

He hands me a bag with the most amazing aroma coming from it.

“What’s this?”

“Chicken Alfredo from my mom. When things get bad, she cooks. After I told her I was on my way here, she made me stop by and grab food for you.”

I sigh before setting the bag on the other side of me.

“Tell your mom thanks. Full disclosure though, I don’t think I have the stomach to eat anything.”

“I know how you feel. When my dad died, I couldn’t do anything. All I wanted was to sit still and hope it was some cruel joke.”

“How did your dad die? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Heart attack. He was trying to find Chief Swan’s daughter when his heart gave out.”

He scoffs before shaking his head, “it’s funny. Sometimes I forget that he’s gone. It’s like I get home and expect to see him kicking off his boots with the day’s latest catch in his hands. Then suddenly, reality hits and I realize that he’s still gone. It feels good to talk about him though, kind of like keeping his memory alive.”

I grab Seth’s hand and give it a gentle squeeze and he smiles at me. The doctor walks through the door and Seth and I jump up from our seats.

“Mia Wolfe?” he asks.

I nod and take in the doctor’s appearance. He is extremely handsome with blond hair and eyes like the stone topaz.

“I’m Dr. Cullen. We had to do a blood transfusion on your grandmother to replace all the blood she lost. She is a little weak, so I will recommend that she spend a few days here. We want to monitor her. Other than that, she would be fine.”

I sigh in relief, “thanks so much Dr. Cullen.”

“No problem. Let me know if you have any questions.”

I thank him again and he walks away. Seth and I head down the hallway, stopping at her door.

“Go, I’ll wait out here.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. She’s your grandmother, you should spend time with her.”

I go inside, and I am immediately shocked by how small and childlike she seems. She looks like all the blood has been drained out of her. I let out a deep breath and grab her hand, squeezing it gently.

“I promise you. I will find who did this, they will not get away with it. I won’t let them.”

I wipe the tears from my eyes and place a kiss on her cheek. Leaving her in the hospital bed is probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. My mind is still on Rose as I meet Seth in the hallway.

“How does she look?” he asks.

“As well as to be expected, I guess.”

“Rose is one of the toughest ladies I’ve ever met. She’ll make it through this.”

I sigh in exhaustion and lean back against the wall, my eyes closing.

“Why don’t you head home? There’s nothing you can do here, and it won’t help Rose if you collapse from exhaustion.”

I shake my head, there is no way I am going home and leaving Rose all alone. She needs me. I don’t care if it means that I don’t sleep for a week; I am not going anywhere. Seth must sense my determination to stay at the hospital.

“The doctors and nurses will look after her and let you know if anything changes. The best thing you can do for Rose is make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

“You’re right. Running myself ragged isn’t going to help Rose get better. Plus, if she knew I wasn’t taking care of myself she would kill me. I’ll head home for a few hours of shut-eye and then come back.”

Seth nods, “do you need a ride?”

“No, I have the… Crap! The car is still at the library.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll drive you home and have a friend pick up your car,” he says.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to inconvenience you if you have somewhere to be,” I say.

“It’s no problem. I have to head back that way, anyway.”

We head to his car and he holds the door open for me before climbing into the driver’s seat. It’s silent for a few minutes before Seth breaks the silence with a question.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“Nothing really. I’m just thinking about Rose and her attack.”

“Oh, yeah? You think you know who did it?” he asks.

I scoff, “I wish. I’m beginning to think it wasn’t an accident though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I get this eerie feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye. I’ve been having gaps in my memory lately and then there was the guy in the hallway earlier.”

“What guy?” he asks.

I try to think about what happened earlier in the hallway at school, but the memory avoids me like a plague.

“I… I don’t know. One second the memory is there, and I can see his face and the next it’s gone. All I remember is the air getting colder and then everything going quiet. Like deadly quiet. There…there’s nothing, just a black spot where something should be.”

I don’t notice that Seth has stopped the car until I look up to find him texting on his phone.

“Um… why did we stop?” I ask.

Seth doesn’t answer me, instead putting his phone away and turning towards me.

“I need you to promise me something,” he says.

“What?”

“I need you to promise me that next time you feel something like that, you run. I don’t care where to or how far. You run and call me.”

“What? Why? Seth…”

“Promise me.”

“Seth…”  
The look on his face stops all my questions and protests in their tracks and I nod. He sighs in relief and before I know it we are pulling up in front of my house. He jumps out of the car and bounds up the front steps before I can even get the door open. He comes back a few minutes later, looking satisfied.

“What was that about, Clearwater?” I ask.

“Nothing. I was just checking.”

“Just checking…”

“Nothing. Look are you sure you want to stay here? I don’t like the idea of you being all alone after what you told me.”

I laugh, “I’m a big girl, Seth. I can handle myself. Plus, I’m not about to let some guy I don’t remember  stop me from living in my house.”

Seth sighs, “this is serious. You have no recollection of this guy and he could be the guy that attacked Rose. And if he is, then he has already has made it abundantly clear he has no qualms about hurting people. If something happens to you, I wouldn’t…”

He stops talking and shakes his head as if he is unsure if he should keep talking.

“You wouldn’t what?” I ask.

Seth looks at me and I mean really looks at me. It is almost like I am the only thing he can see, like there is nothing but me.

“Nothing. Just be careful, Mia.”

I nod and head up the front steps before stopping halfway.

“Hey, Seth?”

He looks up at me and I run down the steps and wraps my arms around him.

“Thank you.”

He is stiff for a minute before his arms wrap around me.

“Dude, you are freakishly warm,” I say.

He laughs, “I guess it’s my warm personality.”

I laugh, and he smiles down at me. His fingers move across my cheek and all the air is sucked from my lungs. He moves closer and his lips trace a fiery path down my jawline, stopping when he reaches the corner of my lips.

“I have never felt this before. This insane need to be around someone, it’s like I can’t live without you. It’s like the world was still before I met you and now everything is in motion. Like everything was black and white until you brought a burst of color. Like if I let anything happen to you then the universe will come crashing down around me.”

“Seth…”

“I’m not sure what it is, but I think I like.”

His lips brush mine and my eyes flutter shut on their own accord. It’s like being shocked by electricity. The world becomes crystal clear and everything feels like it makes sense.

“Wow.”

Seth’s voice reaches my ears and I open my eyes. His eyes meet mine and he brushes his thumb over my cheek.

“What was that?” I breathe out.

He shakes his head, his gaze taking in every inch of my face.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, Seth. Everything feels different, I feel different,” I say.

He presses another small kiss to my lips before cupping my face in his hands.

“I promise you I will explain everything. I just have to go figure some stuff out first, okay?”

I nod, still a little unsure of what happened.

“Stay safe, Mia,” he says.

As he leaves, I head inside and lock the door. My head is spinning as I touch a finger to my lips. I look into the nearest mirror, other than my eyes shining brighter than normal, nothing looks different. I feel different, though. Like something fundamental has changed inside of me.

“Clearwater, you have a lot of explaining to do, “ I say before heading up to bed.


	4. Chapter Four

    Every inch of my body is on alert as I stare at the figure in the kitchen doorway. My mind is screaming at me to run, but my body won't listen. As he moves closer, I can feel myself getting weaker and weaker. It is like I'm being drained of life itself. Glass shatters around me. I can feel the darkness trying to drag me down as the figure gets closer and closer. A hand reaches up and strokes my cheek.

" _Mine."_

Suddenly, there is a burst of light as the doorbell rings and I shoot up from my bed. My breath comes out in short burst as I clutch a hand to my chest. The doorbell rings again and I climb out of bed before heading downstairs. I pull open the door and Seth catches me before I hit the ground.

"Mia? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm fine. Just...just give me a minute to catch my breath."

He helps me take a seat on the porch swing.

"Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so good," he says.

His voice is laced with concern, so I muster up a small smile.

"I'm really okay. I just need a glass of water or something," I say.

He nods before heading inside, it's only a few seconds later when he calls out.

"Um, Mia?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you absolutely sure you're okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, why do you as..."

I freeze when I find Seth. The living room looks like a bomb went off in it. Shattered glass is everywhere and furniture is flipped over on its side.

"What happened?" Seth asks.

His eyes rake over me, really checking me for injuries.

"I'm not...I'm not sure."

I know my voice is coming out panicky and high, but I can't help it. The living room looks exactly the way it looked like in my dream.

Seth must pick up on my anxiety because before I know it I am pulled into his arms. I can hear his heart pounding in his chest and I focus on the beating. It’s a few minutes before I feel calmer and Seth can let me go.

“I’ll help you clean up,” he says.

He goes to grab a broom out of the kitchen while I turn the furniture upright.

     _White, hot rage fills every inch of his body. A table flies through the air and crashes into the wall across from it. Thousands of pictures hit the floor as he tears at the walls. He was so close. He could practically taste her blood on his tongue. It was perfect; she was completely at his mercy and then that…that dog showed up and broke the connection. His fist hits the wall as his anger takes control again. The bones in his hand shatter and realign themselves in a matter of seconds like he never hit the wall in the first place. A picture falls from the wall, his favorite. He traces her face with his finger, he will have her. She will be his, he is not giving up._

     After cleaning up the mess, Seth and I head to a local coffee shop for a break. Seth orders our coffee and I grab a table near the front window of the shop. He returns and sets the cup down on the table before looking at me, his gaze searching.

“I’m fine, Seth,” I say.

“You say that but are you sure?” he asks.

I grab his hand and intertwine our fingers before shooting him a smile.

“I’m sure.”

He nods before taking a sip of his coffee with his free hand.

“So, you promised that you would explain every…”

Seth’s eyes go wide as my breath fills the air. There’s no way that this is happening. The sound around us stops, and time stands still. I feel my heart start pounding.

“Seth…”

“I can feel it.”

Seth has his phone to his ears, faster than I can blink and I get up from the table. The window across from us is clouded, almost like there is a thin layer of ice on it. I place my hand on the window and freeze as I spot the same figure from my dream.

“Seth…”

He is still on the phone, talking hurriedly to whoever is on the other line.

“Seth…”

The figure crosses the street and I take a step back.

“Seth…”

I hear the sound of shattering glass before I see it. One second, I’m standing in front of the window as it explodes and next I’m in Seth’s arms. Pandemonium breaks loose as the figure comes through the newly broken window.

“Seth!”

I scream as Seth goes flying into the wall behind me. I’m frozen as the figure, now a man cocks his head to the side. His dark eyes lock onto me and he raises a hand. I flinch as it brushes my cheek.

“ _Mine.”_

One world and it’s like my legs have given out from under me. Before I hit the floor, I am locked into his strong embrace. I try to fight him off but freeze as he buries his nose in my hair and sniffs.

“ _Mine,”_ he says again.

His tongue snakes out between his teeth and I shudder as it licks a path up my cheek. He takes a deep satisfying breath.

“ _Mine_.”

My body feels like it’s on fire and he trails his hand down my spine. I am almost brought to my knees as searing pain overtakes my body. It makes me want to curl up in a ball and die. Just when I think I can’t take in any longer, I am ripped away from him and from the pain.

“Jacob, get her out of here!” Seth yells.

I don’t have the strength to protest as I am being carried away and shoved into a car.

“Drive, Embry!” Jacob yells.

The guy named Embry hits the gas and we peel out the coffee shop parking lot. My vision goes blurry as four, dark shadows run by the window and soon the darkness pulls me under.

     _The second she is ripped from his grasp, he can feel the rage pulling him back. It calls for blood; it wants to rip the little dog apart and take back what is his. A possessive growl rips through him and he goes to follow her. Except the little dog and his friends step in the way. His vision goes red as he watches them take off._

 


	5. Chapter Five

    As my vision clears, I stare up at an unfamiliar ceiling. I immediately sit up and my head spins. Groaning, I lie back down until I feel like I will not throw up. Once the sensation passes, I open my eyes and stand up. Making my way to the door, I slip out and head downstairs.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I call out.

"Down here, Mia."

I turn the corner and find Seth trying to look at his back which is covered in an assortment of bruises. He looks like I feel at the moment.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask.

Seth shrugs before wincing in pain.

"Nothing a little time won't heal."

A voice scoffs and before I know it a glass of water is being pressed into my hand. I look at the person handing me the glass and find myself looking at a beautiful woman with exotic good looks, dark hair, and copper skin. The right side of her face is marked by three, vivid, red lines.

"Here you go, sweetheart. This should help," she says.

"Thank you..."

"Emily. Emily Young. I'm the woman who listens to Seth talk about you nonstop," she says.

I laugh and Seth turns red before shaking his head.

"I do not talk about her all the time," he says.

The sound of laughter fills the doorway as two guys walk in.

"Are you kidding me? You never shut up about her and I can see why."

He takes a step forward and kisses the back of my head before shooting me a wink.

"Nice to meet you, gorgeous. I'm Paul."

"Right back at you hotshot, I'm Mia," I say with a wink.

Everyone else introduces themselves and Jacob laughs as Paul bites his lips and looks at me.

"Watch out, Seth. It looks like Paul is trying to steal your girl," Jacob says.

Seth growls at Paul and throws an arm over me, protectively.

"I would like to see him try."

Paul laughs and winks at me again, "I don't know. I think I might have a shot."

I laugh, "sorry, good looking. You're not my type."

Paul scoffs, "I'm everyone's type."

"Uh huh, sure you are," Seth says.

"I am," Paul protests.

"Hey Paul, if you're everyone's type then how come you still don't have a girl?" Quil asks.

"Because I'm waiting on the right girl to come along."

"Sure, that's why you don't have a girl. It's not because you spend most of your time smelling like a wet dog," Embry says.

Paul points at Embry, "watch it. I can still kick your ass."

"Bring it, Pauly boy."

"Anytime Embry, just name the time and place," Paul says.

"Enough you two. No one is in the mood for your bickering," Sam says.

"He started it," Embry says.

"And I was about to finish it too," Paul says.

Emily shakes her head before setting the last plate down on the table.

"Now that the teenagers are down flexing their muscles. How about you all come get some food," Emily says.

We all gather around the table and take a seat.

"So, judging by the bruises covering Seth's body we can assume that you didn't get the guy, " Embry says.

Seth winces again and shakes his head before mumbling under his breath.

"That bastard got away," Paul says.

He slams his fist down on the table and all the glasses fall over.

"We should go after him especially after what he did to Seth and Mia," Paul growls.

Sam grabs a napkin and wipes up the juice that spilled.

"Relax Paul, we'll get him next time," Sam says.

"No, Paul is right. We need to go after this guy. We can't wait for him to attack Mia again. What if next time we aren't there to protect her, she could die," Seth says.

"Seth..."

"No, Mia. This guy stopped time, shattered the window, threw me against the wall, and licked you. He freaking  _licked_ you. I'm just supposed to sit and wait for him to attack you again?"

At this point Seth is shaking uncontrollably. He gets up from his chair and starts to pace the floor.  
"Enough, Seth," Sam says.

"No, this is bull. We need to go find this guy and take him out first."

"We don't even know where he is or what he is really capable of. What happened at the coffee shop could only be a taste of what he is capable of. I won't go in blind and I won't send the rest of the guys in blind," Sam says.

"So, we're just supposed to wait for Mia to get hurt?" Seth asks.

"Seth..."

"Bullshit!"

Seth punches the wall and walks out the door. Jacob starts to get up, but Sam stops him.

"No, let him go. He needs to cool off. You and I both know what it's like for us when someone we care about is in danger."

Jacob nods before returning to his seat and I bite my lip, nervous and upset.

"So..."

"So, who wants to go cliff-diving?" Embry asks.

"What's cliff-diving?" I ask.

"It's when you jump off a cliff into water for a thrill," Jacob says.

"If it's a thrill you want gorgeous, I'm available," Paul says.

"Paul, you are anything but thrilling," Leah says.

Paul winks at her, "jealous that I haven't made you an offer?"

Leah kicks his chair over, "not even if my life depended on it."

We all laugh at Paul's new spot on the floor before we get up and head to the cliffs.


	6. Chapter Six

    I stand on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the churning waters below.  
"I am _not_ jumping. I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid."  
"Come on, Mia. Don't be such a baby, it's a little drop and then you hit the water," Embry says.  
"I am _not_ a baby. I'm just not stupid enough to willingly jump off a cliff."  
"Alright, you're not a baby. You're a chicken," Quil says.  
"I think you might be right, Quil," Embry says.  
They both make chicken noise and flap their arms.  
"Real mature, guys," I say.  
They continue making chicken noises as I am lifted into the air. I turn my body through the air, hitting the water headfirst. I cough up water and look around to find Paul smiling at me.  
"Paul, I'm going to kill you."  
"No, you won't."  
"I told you morons that I didn't want to jump!"  
"You didn't really jump, you were thrown," he laughs.  
"Well, if that's the case..."  
I dunk his head underwater and he comes back up, coughing and sputtering.  
"You aren't really drowning, you're just swallowing some water," I laugh.  
He spits out more water and wipes his face.  
"I guess I deserved that," he laughs.  
We swim our way back to shore and Emily hands up some towels to dry off with.  
"Hey, Paul. Did you enjoy swallowing half the ocean?" Jacob laughs.  
Paul shoots Jacob a glare, "be careful or you'll be the next one I throw off the cliff."  
Jacob laughs, shaking his head before doing his jump. After everyone has jumped, we all head back to Sam's. When we get back to the house, Seth is sitting on the front steps. He looks a little calmer then he did before but there is still an underlying tension in his shoulders.  
"I guess I should head home since it's getting late," I say.  
Emily hugs me goodbye, "don't hesitate to come back."  
"I won't."  
I say goodbye to everyone and Seth and I head out. The entire car ride is silent until we pull up to my house. Seth's grip on the steering wheel is so tight that his knuckles are white. I push the door open and stop before getting out.  
"Hey Seth, is everything okay?"  
He looks at me like he's trying to gauge how much he should tell me before he answers.  
"Yeah, I'm just... I guess I'm just worried. This guy is still out there and he's dangerous. I could lose you...really lose you and I just got you. I can't stand the thought of something happening to you. I just..."  
I turn towards Seth and pull at his hand until he releases his grip on the steering wheel. Then I intertwine our fingers.  
"You are not going to lose me. You, Sam, and the guys will find this guy before he gets close to me again."  
"That's my point, Mia. He shouldn't have gotten that close to you the first time. If I had been paying atten..."  
I place a finger on his lips to stop him from talking.  
"You cannot blame yourself for what happened at the coffee shop. You had no idea that he was capable of shattering a window and throwing you across the room."  
"Yeah, but still..."  
I move my finger and instead press my lips to his. His reaction is immediate. The world falls away as his hand rest below my ear, his thumb caresses my cheek. I pull him closer until there is almost no space between us. Fire and warmth spread throughout my body as Seth pulls away.  
"Thank you," he says.  
I laugh, "for what?"  
"For being you."  
"Anytime," I say.  
He pulls me into for another kiss and it's another few minutes before I'm back in the house with a smile on my face. I head upstairs and get ready for bed before I can officially crash though my phone rings.  
"Hello?"  
Ragged breathing plays on the other side.  
"Hello?"  
" _Mine."_  
My heart pounds in my chest and the phone clatters to the floor. I run upstairs and grab a baseball bat before going back downstairs. If this guy is going to try something, then he is going to get one hell of a fight. I'm at the bottom of the stairs and about to turn into the kitchen when my phone rings again. I scream bloody murder and drop my bat.  
"Jesus," I say.  
Heading back towards my phone, I pick it up off the floor and glance at the caller I.d.  
"Hello?"  
"Why are the police calling my office at all hours of the day? What have you done now, Mia? I thought we agreed that you could remain in La Push if and only if you stayed out of trouble. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior. I swear between my brother showing up unannounced demanding answers and you getting into trouble at every turn...the two of you will be the death of me."  
"Nice to talk to you too, dad. Oh, and the police are probably calling because Rose, your mother, is in the hospital. Not that you care."  
"I care, Mia. Otherwise, I wouldn't be asking."  
"No, you asked why the police are calling you. Then you insulted me by assuming that I had gotten into some kind of trouble. If you really cared then you would be down here making sure she is okay. Instead, you're in New York worried about some stupid deadline you probably have. Oh and let's not forget that it is not you answering your phone. It is, in fact, your amazing sexretary, Nancy the whore."  
"Mia, I am not getting into this with you. You know how important these deadlines are, it means big things for the company and for our family. I would also appreciate if you would stop calling Nancy names."  
"I'll stop calling her names when you stop screwing her on your desk behind mom's back."  
He sighs, " I don't have time for this. Goodbye, Mia."  
"Bye."  
I hang up and sigh. Thanks to that lovely conversation, I now have a growing headache. I flip the lights off and head to my bed, determined to put the last few minutes behind me.  
_He was so close! She was in his grasp and he had let her slip away. Had let her be ripped away from him. He lets out an_ earth-shattering _roar. His vision fills with_ the image _of her as he pins his latest addition to the wall. She wasn't his muse, but she would do. She'll do until he gets his hands on the real thing. Next time he will not let her get away._  
_"Please, let me go."_  
_Her pleas fall on deaf ears as he tears into her,_ ripping _her heart from her chest._ _He can feel the life leave her as her body drops to the ground, and he has never felt more powerful..._


	7. Chapter Seven

    The floral smell hits me before I reach the room. Rose's room is covered in every flower imaginable and the smell is like being hit in the face by perfume. I throw out some old flowers and sit down beside Rose. Dr. Cullen says it will be a few more days before Rose wakes up. I am lost in my own thoughts until a voice brings me crashing back down to Earth.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite niece."

I can't help the smile that makes it way to my face as I stand up and turn around. Black, well-groomed hair gently hangs over a strong, chiseled face. I can see the tribal tattoo I used to ask him about peeking out from underneath his short sleeve shirt. His stormy gray eyes are filled with amusement as he pulls me into a hug.

"Little wolf, how's it going?"

"Uncle Gabriel."

He takes a seat before nodding towards Rose.

"How is she?"

I shrug, "the doctor says it could be a few more days before she wakes up, but she's recovering nicely."

"Who's her doctor?" he asks.

"Cullen."

Gabriel nods as if he approves of her doctor.

"She's in good hands then. So, how are you?"

"How am I? How are you? I've been in La Push for months and haven't heard from you. I thought I would at least hear from my favorite uncle."

Gabriel runs his hands over his head, messing up his hair, somehow though it makes it look even better.

"Sorry, little wolf. I was out of town for a few days. I didn't get the call about Rose until a couple of days ago. So, are you watching La Push so far?"

"Yeah, it's great. I've met some great people, better than the people in New York that my parents are constantly forcing on me."

Gabriel looks around as if he is just now noticing that my parents aren't here.

"Speaking of, where is my little brother? Shouldn't he be here?"

I scoff, "you know how dad is. Did you really think they would come here?"

Gabriel sighs before shaking his head, "typical Hunter. Always thinking about himself first, even when it comes to other people."

It is then I notice that he looks like he hasn't slept in a few days. That's when I remember what my dad said on the phone about him coming and demanding answers. Then Gabe's comment on my dad thinking about himself even when it comes to other people. If Gabe had come straight from New York, he would be exhausted. He would know why dad wasn't here.

"What were you doing in New York?" I ask.

Gabriel freezes, like a deer in headlights.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"My dad said that you were in New York. You know he's not here, you knew he wouldn't be before you asked. So, what were you doing in New York? Why are you and my dad fighting?"

I figure that he will shrug me off like he normally does when it comes to him and my dad. What I did not expect though was the sad look and long silence that I got instead.

"Uncle Gabriel?"

He looks down at his hands, clenching his fists. Then he looks at me as if he is memorizing every inch of my face like he is committing it to memory. He stands up and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"You should call your mom."

He walks out of the room while I watch. What could he possibly mean by that? Pulling out my phone, I hit my mom's number. It rings three times before she picks up.

"Mia?"

"Hey, mom. I was just wondering if you could tell me why Uncle Gabe and dad are fighting. I tried to ask Uncle Gabe but he said to call you. What's going on?"

I hear a sigh before my mom speaks again.

"He promised he would wait to bring it up to you."

"Bring what up? He didn't bring up anything, I did."

"Mia, honey...you have to understand that this is a rather delicate situation."

"Mom, what is going on?"

"Before I tell you, I need you to understand that your father and I love you very much. We only did what we did for your own good. Gabriel wasn't ready to raise a child, I was barely ready myself. Then, your father showed up and offered to take care of us. I couldn't turn him down, I to give us..you..our best chance."

"Mom..."

She sighs, "fine. Your father and Uncle Gabriel are fighting about you."

"Me? What about me?" I ask.

"Mia, I really don't think this is a conversation we should have over the phone. You should really..."

"Mom, what about me?"

She is silent for a minute, "he wanted to know if you are his."

"His? His what?"

"His daughter. Your Uncle Gabriel is your real father. Your father and I were only thinking of you when we did what we did, you have to understand that."

The whole world is spinning out from under me and it feels like all the air had been sucked from my lungs.

"He can't...that's not..."

It's like my brain has stopped being able to form coherent sentences. My phone hits the floor and before I know it, I am tearing through the hallway to get outside. Once outside, I take off at a run. I don't know where I'm going, I just know I have to get away from the hospital.  By the time I stop, my lungs feel like they are dying. I kneel on the ground to catch my breath. As I do, the dam breaks open and sobs rack my body. My whole life feels like a lie, everything I have ever known feels like a lie. A warm embrace wraps around me and I cry even harder.

"I'm sorry, little wolf. I'm so sorry."

When I finally stop crying, my entire body feels numb. I pull away from Gabriel and look at him, really look at him.

"I didn't know she was pregnant, Mia. If she had told me, I would have never let her leave with you. I would have fought her and Hunter for you."

I give him a slight smile, "I know you would have. How did you find out?"

He runs a hand through his hair, "I ran into an old friend of your mom's out in Brooklyn. She knew about the whole thing and let it slip. I guess she thought your mom had told me. After she spilled the beans, so to speak, I headed up to the East side and confronted Hunter. He didn't even try to deny it, just said that I wasn't ready to raise a kid and that he had done the right thing, the only thing. Thing is though, they never gave me a chance to prove whether or not I would be a good father."

He stands up and helps pull me up from my spot on the ground. Shoving his hand in his pocket, he looks at the ground.

"Mia, I know this is a huge revelation. I want you to know that that this doesn't have to change anything if you don't want it to. If you want me to keep being your uncle then I will, no questions ask. Either way, I'm proud of the young woman you have become. Any man that is able to raise you as his daughter is the luckiest man alive and I hope that my little brother did right by you. That he saw just how lucky he was."

I wipe the tears from my eyes and throw my arms around Gabriel. He immediately responds by hugging me tighter and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"I don't want you to go back to being my uncle."

We head back into the hospital after a few minutes and Gabriel convinces me to call my parents back. Where we then have a long conversation about how things were going to change.

 

 


	8. Chapter Eight

    I wake up bright and early the next morning with a pounding headache and covered with a blanket I don't remember grabbing. I spent a lot of time on the phone crying last night. My parents, Gabriel, and I had a long talk about the future. My mom apologized to Gabriel and admitted that she was wrong for never telling him the truth. My father, the man that he is, refused to admit that he had done anything wrong in keeping the truth from Gabriel. In fact, he said he would do it again if he had to. I finish folding up the blanket when Gabriel walks in holding two cups of coffee and a bag of doughnuts.

"Morning. I thought you would be hungry, so I brought coffee and doughnuts."

"Thanks," I say, accepting the coffee.

Grabbing a doughnut, Gabriel takes a seat across from me.

"So..."

He sits down across from me, "is there anything you want to know? I know there was a lot we didn't touch base on last night."

"Honestly, there probably is. But I'm still processing everything."

He nods in understanding," gotcha."

There's a knock on the door and it's like my heart knows who it is before I even turn around.

"Hey, mind if I come in?" Seth asks.

"Sure," I say.

Seth walks in and I blush as he presses his lips to mine.

"How are you feeling, beautiful?"

"Uh...ah...I'm fine. Seth, this is Gabriel...my um...my dad."

Seth freezes like a deer in headlights and turns around. Gabriel has put down his doughnut and is sitting with his arms crossed over his chest. He changed shirts last night and the new shirt was doing nothing to hide the pure muscle mass underneath it. The sleeves are pushed up giving Seth a perfect view of the badass tribal tattoo that starts on Gabriel's right arm. If looks could kill I"m pretty sure Seth would be dead ten times over.

"Oh...um...nice to meet you, sir. I'm Seth, Seth Clearwater."

Seth sticks out his hand and Gabriel looks at it before standing up to his full, six foot seven height to shake Seth's hand.

"Clearwater, huh? Any relation to Harry Clearwater?"

"Yes, sir. He was my father."  
  


Gabriel nods, "your father was a hell of a man, Seth. I'm honored to have known him."

"Thank you, sir."

Gabriel chuckles, "lighten up on the sir, kid. I might be her father, but I'm not some hard ass. Just take care of her and make her happy and we won't have a problem."

"I will, si...I mean Mr. Wolfe."

"No, Mr. Wolfe either. Makes me feel like my pompous ass of a baby brother. Gabriel will do just fine. Now, if you two will excuse me, I have to go talk to the doctor about Rose. Feel free to help yourself to a doughnut, kid. Little Wolf, I'll see you at home."

He walks out the door and Seth breathe a sigh of relief.

"I thought he was going to kill me."

I laugh, "he was not going to kill you. Although I have to admit for a minute there, I wasn't so sure."

"His arms are the size of freaking tree trunks."

"Yeah, dad is not a man who skips gym day."

Seth grabs a doughnut before settling into the chair across from me.

"Anyway, I came by to see if you wanted to come to Sam and Emily's. Emily apparently really likes you, keeps asking me to bring you by."

I laugh, "I like her too and I would love to come. I just need to run home and change first."

I finish my coffee and Seth finishes about four more doughnuts before I have him follow me home. I have him wait downstairs, free to rummage through the kitchen while I grab a quick shower. After my shower and Seth consumes half of my kitchen, we head over to Sam and Emily's.

"Hey, Em."

"Hey guys, Mia it's so good to see you again," she says.

She hugs me and I give her a squeeze, "I heard you were missing me."

She waves her hand, "it's nice having a girl around that is not another one of the boys."

"Are the rest of the guys around, Em?" Seth asks.

"They should be back in a few minutes."

The sound of laughter fills the air and Emily rolls her eyes.

"Speak of the devil."

All five boys and Leah walk through the door and Sam walks up to Emily and kisses her scars before turning to me and Seth.

"Good to see you again, Mia. How's your grandmother."

"She's good, getting stronger and stronger every day."

"That's great. Let me know if you need any help with anything when she gets out."

"I will, thanks."

Sam goes to help Emily in the kitchen and Paul throws an arm over my shoulder.

"Nice to see you again, gorgeous."

"Ditto, handsome."

Seth growls before pulling me away from Paul. Paul shoots me another wink before taking a seat at the dining room table.

"Let me know if you get bored of him, gorgeous. I'm happy to take his place and provide you with some riveting entertainment."

"Yeah, except Paul's form of entertainment is probably waking up drunk in a ditch somewhere," Embry says.

I laugh as Emily and Sam come out with plates piled high with food. The guys all dig and Emily and I, having already eating get to cleaning up from her cooking extravaganza. After a couple more hours of talking and a delicious lunch, Seth drives me home. I'm busy sorting through my mail when Seth speaks up.

"So, do I need to worry about your and Paul or..."

My laughter is immediately cut off by Seth trapping me between his arms. My back is against the front door as he looks down at me. His lips brush mine and I suck in a breath.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I...um...I."

"Do I need to remind you of why I'm better than Paul?" he asks.

His lips brush against my jaw and all the breath leaves my body. His lips begin to trace a fiery hot path up to mine, his hand grips my waist pulling me closer.

"Why is it that every time I've seen you, you have your tongue stuck down my daughter's throat?" Gabriel asks.

Seth and I jump apart and Seth quickly takes three huge steps away from me.

"Um...I'm sorry, sir. I mean Mr. Wolfe...I mean...um....please don't kill me."

Gabriel jumps off of his motorcycle before walking up the front steps, his eyes locked onto Seth. Stopping just a few feet shy of Seth, he cracks his knuckles. Seth winces at the sound and Gabriel leans forward like he's gearing up to grab Seth. Then...then he lets out a belly aching laugh.

"Relax, kid. I'm not going to kill you. I know how young love works, just don't make me a grandpa before I'm ready."

"Yes, sir...I mean we won't...I mean we aren't doing that. I would never..."

I raise an eyebrow up at him and he quickly backpedals.

"I mean not I would never. I mean I obviously would because you are gorgeous and I would love..."

Gabriel shoots him a look and Seth gulps down air.

"I mean to say that I would never, but I would if we were married because Mia is a beautiful girl who deserves to be married before some prick tries to take her..."

I shoot him another look at he looks between me and Gabriel.

"Not that I'm thinking about marriage right now and I certainly would never get married just to do that. I'm just saying that we won't do anything until we get married. Not until! Unless...unless we got married! And I'm just going to shut up and leave because I am digging a deeper hole for myself, aren't I?"

Gabriel nods, "I think that's a good idea, kid."

Seth gives me a nod before quickly walking to his car and driving off. Once he clears the driveway, Gabriel and I burst out in laughter.

"Is he always like that?" Gabriel asks.

"You make him nervous," I say.

"Good. I should make him nervous, means I'm doing my job right. Now, I thought the two of us could grab our signature bowl of ice cream and talk a little, what do you say?"

"Sounds great," I say, following him inside.

After two giant bowls of ice cream and a long well-needed conversation, Gabriel heads to his place for the night and I start to finish up some homework assignments for school that my teachers sent me.

**A Few Hours Later...**

    My phone buzzes letting me know that it's midnight and that I should probably turn in for the night. Working out the kink in my neck, I check all the windows and doors before heading upstairs to bed. I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

     _Infatuation is stamped on his face as he gazes down at the sleeping girl beneath him. It had taken him so long to get her alone. He had slipped over the low wall overlooking the old lady's garden and climbed through her bedroom window. Taking a picture of the girl, he has to resist the urge to rip into her. He has every intention of owning her, mind, body, and soul but for right now a small taste will have to do. He presses his lips gently to hers and nips, drawing a small amount of blood. After taking his fill, he places a kiss on her forehead before leaving the way he came in._

 

 

 


	9. Chapter Nine

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing off the hook. Groaning, I look at the clock and find an angry red 7 glaring at me. Wiping my eyes, I hit answer and press the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Miss. Wolfe?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“This is your grandmother’s nurse. Dr. Cullen wanted me to call to let you know your grandmother is awake if you would like to see her.”

“Yes. I’m on my way,” I say.

I hang up the phone and jump out of bed. Grabbing the closest pair of pants I can find, I run downstairs. I dial Gabriel’s number as I head out the door.

“Hello?”

“Roseisawake,” I say, quickly.

“Whoa, slow down there little wolf. Did you say Rose is awake?”

“Yes! The doctor just called!”

“Holy...I’m on my way.”

I get to the hospital around the same time as Gabriel and we walk in together. Dr. Cullen is in Rose’s room looking her over. His voice is gentle as he asks Rose some mandatory questions. After that’s done, he walks over towards me and Gabriel.

“Could I have a word with you Gabriel?” he asks.

“Sure thing, Doc.”

Gabriel and Dr. Cullen step out into the hallway and I hug Rose with all my might.

“Easy there, dear. I missed you too.”

“I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried and I promise that I have been staying out of trouble and going to school every day and...”

“Mia, calm down. I know you have been staying out of trouble and going to school.”

Gabriel walks back in a few minutes later making his way to Rose’s side.

“Gabriel,” Rose says.

“Mom.”

He moves into hug her and she pops him in the back of the head. He winces before backing up and rubbing the back of his head.

“What was that for?”

“It takes me being put in the hospital for you to remember that you have a mother,” she says.

“What? Mom, I would have come by soo...”

“Don’t give me that, Gabriel Alexander Wolfe. You and I both know you had no intention of coming by. I call to tell you Harry Clearwater passes away, and it goes to voicemail. I call to tell you that your aunt is getting married, and it goes to voicemail. I call to tell you that your niece...”

“Daughter,” I say, interrupting her.

She looks at me briefly and I nod.

“I call to tell you that your daughter is in town and it goes to voicemail. You had no intention of coming to see me. What would you have done if no one had called you? If one day you came back, and I was gone, dead. What would you do then?” she asks.

Gabriel rubs the back of his neck, looking down at the floor.

“You’re right. I know better. I should have checked in more often, I got all your messages. I... coming back here was hard for me. After dad died, I...”

Rose pats the hand that is lying on her bed, “I know. I miss him too, but we’re Wolfes. We are stronger when we’re together, we always have been.”

She pulls him into a hug and soon the both are laughing over old memories. My phone vibrates and I excuse myself for a minute.

“Hello?”

“Hey, gorgeous.”

“Paul? Why are you calling from Seth’s phone?”

“Because he won’t give me your number.”

“Well, that’s not surprising.”

“Yep. Anywho, Em wants to know if you’re coming to the bonfire. Seth was supposed to invite you but I guess he forgot or something.”

“Yeah, sounds fun. What time do I need to be there?”

There are sounds of a struggle from the other end of the line.

“Hello?” I say.

“Mia? I’ll pick you up in a few hours. Right after I beat the crap out of Paul for shoving me off the cliff into the water and stealing my phone,” Seth says.

I laugh, “get a couple of hits in for me?”

“Always,” Seth laughs.

I hang up and head back into the room for some much-needed quality time with my favorite grandmother.

“Who was that?” Gabriel asks.

“Paul Lahote. He wanted to know if I was stopping by Sam and Emily’s for the bonfire they’re having.”

“Is Paul another boy I should be worried about?” Gabriel asks, one eyebrow raised.

“No! He’s a friend.”

“Another boy? There’s a boy?” Rose asks.

“Yeah. Seth Clearwater, Harry’s boy,” Gabriel says.

Rose nods approvingly, “he’s a good one. At least he is if he’s anything like his father.”

“He better be a good one or we’ll have a problem,” Gabriel says.

We talk more about things that are happening before it’s time for me to leave. Seth is waiting in the parking lot and when he sees me a smile lights up his face.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says, pressing a kiss to my lips.

“Hey,” I say.

“Ready to go?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say.

We get into his car and hit the road, heading towards Sam and Emily’s.


	10. Chapter Ten

  For the first time in weeks, the sky is clear. When Seth and I pull up in front of Sam and Emily's, Sam is outside having what looks to be an intense conversation on the phone. He nods at Seth and I before walking out of earshot. Emily walks out of the house and frowns in Sam's direction before turning to face us.   
"Everything okay?" she asks.   
"I'm not sure. It doesn't look like it though," I say.   
"I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be fine. It's probably something with the elders," she says.   
"Yeah, probably," I say.   
"You want to help me with the food? Might help take your mind off of all your worries."   
"Sure."   
Emily and I head inside to finish the food as we wait for everyone else to show up. Seth walks in a few minutes later with a message from Sam.   
"Hey Em, Sam wanted to tell you that we'll be back in a couple of minutes. We've got a perimeter run."   
"Alright."   
He kisses me on the cheek before he leaves.   
"See you in a few?" he asks.   
"See you in a few," I say.   
He runs off to join the rest of the guys and Emily and I get back to work on the food. It's almost a half hour later before they all come crashing through the door.   
"Is it time to eat yet? I'm starving," Quil says.   
"All the boys ever think about is food," Emily says, rolling her eyes.   
"Hey, turning into a giant wolf takes a lot out of you. Especially, if there's a possibility of a pretty girl watching," Paul says.   
He shoots a wink towards me and I laugh.   
"I've told you once already dog boy, I'm taken. Even if I wasn't I sure as hell ain't dating you. But you may have a chance with Quil."   
Quil makes a kissy face, "yeah, Paul. Pucker up."   
Paul shoves Quil away from him," not on your life."   
Quil frowns, "what am I not good enough for the great Paul? You can't handle all this man?"   
Paul narrows his eyes at Quil," it's not that I can't handle it. It's that I don't want to. Also, I know you're taken gorgeous, I just like watching Seth squirm."   
"As long as you know, Paul," Seth says.   
Sam puts the burger on the grill and the good times start as we hand out. Paul spends the whole night relentlessly flirting with me to get a rise out of Seth, while the rest of the guys play cards or just relax. It soon growls late though, so I have Seth drive me back to the hospital to pick up my car. On the way there, he intertwines our hands together before kissing the back of my hand. His other is tapping along with the song n the radio and he's humming the words.   
"Someone's in a good mood," I say.   
"How can I not be? I got the girl of my dreams by my side."   
I blush and he laughs before pressing another kiss to my hand.   
"I'm serious, Mia. You're amazing."   
"Stop. I'm not that great," I say.   
"You are."   
We fall back into a comfortable silence before I squeeze Seth's hand. He briefly looks over at me before turning his attention back to the road.   
  


"You know you don't have to worry about Paul, right?"

He laughs, "I know. Paul only flirts with you to get a rise out of me. He means well and I know he would never go after you like that."  
"Good, because you have nothing to worry about."  
Seth pulls up next to my car and we hop out.  
"Thanks for the ride."  
He brushes his thumb across my cheek before pressing a kiss to my lips," anytime."  
He waits to leave until I'm safely inside my car and pulling out of the parking lot. Once I get home, I walk in the living room and find Gabriel asleep on the couch. I grab a blanket and cover him before heading upstairs to bed.  
        _He sets the knife down on the table before pressing his tongue to her cut. She whimpers in pain, but he ignores it. He picks up the knife again before slowly dragging it across her stomach. He then digs it into her stomach and watches as blood pours from her body. Before he can help himself, his teeth are tearing into her. Once he has had his fill, he tosses her aside. She's not what he wants...who he wants. He stands up, it's time to make his move. He's done waiting._


	11. Chapter 11

    I wake up to the glorious smell of bacon. I walk downstairs and into the kitchen, Gabriel is cooking breakfast.

"Good morning," he says.

"Morning."

"I thought you could use a good breakfast, something other than an apple or a bowl of cereal."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. It all smells great," I say.

"So, any plans for today?" he asks.

"Not really. I figured I would run by the store later for some supplies for Rose. You know, to make sure we have everything we need for her when she comes home."

"Good idea, little wolf. I'll swing by the hospital later and see if she needs anything specific," Gabriel says.

We finish eating and after cleaning up; I head upstairs to shower. It's warm today, so I throw on some blue jean shorts, a white tee shirt, before tying a flannel around my waist. I throw my hair up in a ponytail and slip on my favorite pair of converse. Grabbing my keys, I head out the door shortly after Gabriel. Once at the store I grab some much-needed supplies for myself and some of Rose's favorite foods. I also grab cleaning supplies since I have nothing planned, I figure it can't hurt to clean the house for when Rose comes home. I head home and after putting everything away, start cleaning the house. It's hours before I'm finished and I'm covered in sweat and every kind of dirt imaginable. I throw myself down on the couch and let out a groan as the doorbell rings. Fixing my hair into a messy bun, I answer the door.

"Hey, beautiful," Seth says.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Nothing. Just thought I would stop by and see my favorite girl."

He moves in for a hug and I back away before putting my hands up.

"No way. I'm all sweaty and gross."

He laughs before pulling me towards him, his lips brushing mine.

"And you have never looked more beautiful."

His hands drift to my hips, settling there as his lips brush mine again.

"Mia."

The first kiss is gentle, then his lips crash onto mine. He deepens the kiss as sparks fly in every direction. My arms tangle around his neck, my every sense flooded with the smell, feel, and taste of him. His lips drift to my neck, each kiss more delicate than the one before it. His lips connect to mine again and it's like a dam has burst. Warmth radiates from every inch of our bodies and I smile when I hear the growl that comes from him. Suddenly, I'm lifted and pressed into the wall behind me. My legs wrap around his waist. When we break apart for air, I rest my forehead on his. He smiles at me and I press a quick kiss to his lips again.

"I love you," he whispers.

I freeze and Seth immediately sets me down.

"Um...uh...are you hungry? I'm hungry," I say.

I know panicking is probably not the way to go when someone tells you they love you, but I'm not sure what else to do. I walk into the kitchen and start searching the fridge for something to eat. Grabbing eggs and milk, I go to the cabinet and pull out the flour. I don't react when I hear Seth enter the kitchen and make his way behind me.

"Mia..."

"Do you want cake? I'm making a cake," I say.

"Mia, it's okay if you're not ready to say it back. I just needed you to know how I feel. There's no pressure for you to say it back and I don't want you to say it if you don't mean it."

Seth wraps his arms around me before turning me around to face him.

"It's okay that you're freaking out. As I said, there is absolutely no pressure for you to say it back."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"I'm sure."

He presses a kiss to my forehead and I sigh in relief.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say.

He leaves and I finish making my cake. I'm just pulling the cake out of the oven when Gabriel walks through the door.

"Hey, little wolf. Something smells good."

"I baked a cake."

"Oh, what's the occasion?"

"No occasion. Just...felt like baking a cake," I say.

Gabriel shoots me a look like he knows I'm lying but he doesn't press it.

"So, how's Rose?"

"Good. Doc says that we should be able to bust her out of that joint tomorrow," he says.

I'm busy icing the cake when I hear him clear his throat. It's a throat clear I'm all too familiar with because they sound just like the ones Hunter would give me. I wait for Gabriel to come out and say whatever it is he is going to say.

"I had a rather interesting conversation with Elder Williams today," Gabriel says.

"Oh, yeah? What about?"

"He was telling me this crazy story about how the pack is having to deal with some psycho. Said the guy attacked a local coffee shop, hurt a couple of civilians, and tried to grab some girl."

"That sounds crazy," I say.

I set down two plates on the table, each holding a piece of cake.

"Funny thing is, Elder Williams could have sworn that you were the girl involved. In fact, he is adamant that it was you."

I fake a laugh, "Elder Williams must be getting old because I was nowhere near the coffee shop when the attack happened. It was at the cliffs with Sam and the guys."

"Are you sure? Because like I said, Elder Williams is absolutely sure it was you. If something is going on then I want to know. Especially if this guy did what Elder Williams said he did."

"I'm sure. Like I said Elder Williams must have mistaken the other girl for me," I say.

Gabriel sighs before shaking his head, "you're right. The man's eyesight ain't what it used to be. Just...know that you can come to me with anything."

"I know I can," I say.

We finish our cake and Gabriel grabs a change of clothes for Rose before heading back to the hospital. I hated lying to him but if I told him the truth, I know he would have freaked out.

 

 

 


	12. Chapter Twelve

    The smell hits me first. It's strong and metallic, like a bucket of pennies. I walk further into this house, dropping my coffee. It doesn't take long to find the source of the smell. A single word is smeared on the wall, a word that chills me to the core...MINE. It's smeared on the wall in blood and there are pictures covering every inch of the wall around it. All of the pictures are full of girls that are similar to me in height, build, hair, and eye color. One picture is like a scene straight out of the "Dark Knight" movie. It shows a girl, but the sides of her mouth are cut into a permanent smile. There's another picture, this one of a girl lying prone on a table with her chest split open. The next photo is of a girl tied to a chair with her intestines spilling out from between her hands. All of the pictures are photos of girls in horrific and violent scenes. As I turn around, to try and get the images from my mind, I spot him. His head is cocked to the side like he is watching me and waiting for me to react. A smile lights up his face once he sees the horror reflected in my eyes.

"Do you like them?" he asks.

I shake my head and back up as he steps closer. My heart is pounding in my chest and my only thought is to get as far away as I possibly can. In my haste to get away from him, I slip and hit the ground. I crawl backward until my back hits the door as he makes his way to me.

"Please don't," I say.

"They're like you. I tried to find some as close as I could to your likeness."

"Please, please. I'll do anything, just don't..."

He stands over me and presses a finger to my lips. A smile etched on his lips.

"Shh, don't be scared. I promise that it will all be worth it," he says.

White, hot, searing pain shoots through me as his fingers brush my hair out of my face. He buries his nose in my hair and I try to pull away, but he holds me in place.

"You're so beautiful. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

"Please," I beg.

"So perfect."

His lips trace down my face and a feeling of cold, dread floods through me. It feels like my heart itself is slowly being frozen and I can feel my heartbeat slow down. Suddenly everything goes dark... I've seen darkness before. You know, the kind that makes the street look like an old fashion photograph. This isn't that though. This is a darkness that robs you of all sense of hope and replaces it with paralyzing fear. It's in this darkness that I finally come to. I only know my eyes are open because I can feel myself blink. I can't hear anything, which is either really good or really bad. My heart rate is like a speeding car, the beats so close together I'm not able to distinguish one from the other. Darkness surrounds me, suffocating my body like a thick perfume that is clinging to every inch of my skin. When the light clicks on, I can't help the gasp that escapes me. It feels like I can breathe again, but that same very breath is robbed from me as I take in my surroundings. Thousands of pictures cover every inch of the room, all of me. There is a girl half naked in the corner, covered head to toe in blood and viscera. Blood paints the wall so think that it practically oozes to the floor. It turns the once stark, white walls, scarlet. A door opens and a bottle is pressed to my lips.

"Drink, my love."

I shake my head, trying to get away from the bottle. A sharp grip on my hair holds me in place as he pours water down my throat. I sputter and spit most of it back up so I don't drown.

"Please, let me go."

He ignores my pleas and sits the bottle down on a nearby table. Picking up a camera, he snaps a photo. 

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

"Please, I won't tell anyone just..."

"You know I can't believe that you're here."

He walks away me chair before stopping behind me. His hand strokes my arm and I shiver.

"I have waited..."

He takes a deep breath, "so long for you to be here. I've watched you from afar for so long and now you're here! Now, you're  _mine."_

The last word comes out in a deep, resounding growl that shakes the room.

"You're mine and you're so beautiful. So perfect."

He walks around my chair until he's standing in front of me. He forcibly tilts my head up so that I'm looking up at him.

" _Mine_."

His lips descend onto mine and he cups his face. I struggle against him, but he holds me in place. I do the only thing I can think of at that moment and bite down...hard. He jerks away from me, hissing as he wipes his lips. The hit that comes would have knocked me out of my chair if I wasn't tied to it.

"You clearly need to be taught not to bite the hand that feeds you."

My heart stops as he picks up a knife from the table and I pray for someone to save me. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Seth**   
        The second Gabriel calls me, I can hear it in his voice. It feels like the entire world has collapsed. Like all the color has faded from the world. My blood is roaring in my ears and all I can think about is her. I can't lose her, she is my everything and if anything happened to her...I can't let myself finish the thought. Punching the accelerator, I drive like a bat out of hell. The ringing of my phone is the only thing that breaks through my thoughts. Heavy breathing fills my ear before a voice slowly sings out:   
"Baby, I'm preying on you tonight/ Hunt you down eat you alive/ Maybe you think that you can hide/ I can smell your scent for miles."   
"What the hell? Who is this?"   
A soft laugh rings outs, "like it? I thought it was fitting considering the situation."   
"Asher? You sick bastard, if you hurt her..."   
"Hurt her? I would never hurt her, Seth. She's my most prized possession, my most honored guest. She is the light of my existence, my sun, my moon, my stars. I would never hurt her."   
I can't stop the growl that echoes in my voice, "I'm going to rip you limb from limb. You're going to regret ever being born when I'm through with you."   
"My, my, my, what a threat. I would be terrified if I hadn't already won. You forget I have Mia. She belongs to me now and I promise to take good care of her as long as you don't get in my way. You see, I just hate complications and that wolf boy is exactly what you are...a complication. So, don't get in my way and don't try to find us and I won't have to do something we'll both regret. Understand?"   
I'm silent, rage coursing through my veins.   
"I'm going to take your silence as a yes. See you around wolf boy and don't worry I'll tell her you said goodbye."   
The dial tone clicks and I jump out of my car, taking off across the yard towards Sam's. Before I reach the door, Sam hits the ground in front of me as Gabriel stands over him.   
"You knew and you told no one!"   
Sam wipes the blood from his lip.   
"We suspected someone, Wolfe. Suspecting someone and them actually being guilty are two different things."   
"You should have told someone! That psychopath has my daughter!"   
"We didn't know for a fact that it was Asher. We thought a rogue vamp had gotten in without our knowledge. We are going to get her back, Wolfe. I promise you, we will."   
Gabriel walks away, his fist connecting with the nearest wall. He stands there shaking before his bravado finally breaks. He hits his knees his head hung low.   
"He's got, my little girl."   
I squat down next to him before putting my hand on his shoulder.   
"I swear to you that I will find her. I won't stop until I find her," I say.   
I nod to Sam and he gathers everyone up before breaking the news to them.   
"What the hell are we standing around for? We know who has her, let's go get our girl back," Paul says.   
"It's not that simple, Paul. As must as I would love to just charge right in and get her, we don't know where she is. Our plan is to go back to Mia's house and see if we can pick up Asher's scent. We are going to do this as quickly as possible," Sam says.   
Gabriel joins us as we all shift to take off into the forest towards Mia's house.   
"I'm coming, Mia. Just hold on."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

My dark hair covers part of my face as I focus on the door in front of me. I am waiting for it to open. Once it does, I know that the nightmare will start all over again. Every few minutes a scream rips through me, not like the one from guys being tortured in horror movies, but worse. It has a raw quality, one that only comes from a person that is consumed by pain that has no end. Light floods the room and I close my eyes. I flinch as the cold steel of a knife touches my skin. I scream as it burrows deep into my abdomen. I scream as his teeth rip into my neck and blood pours out. His tongue touches were his teeth once were as the wound closes back up. He digs his fingers into my knife wound and I scream in pain.

"I'm sorry about this. I usually have more self-control when it comes to feeding. It's just that you're so... _Delicious._ "

He steps away and grabs a needle off the table. As it plunges into my chest, it is like ice flowing through my veins then it turns to fire. He loves my pain, he revels in it. I am helpless as my body goes numb and he reaches for the knife once more...


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Seth**

The smell of blood is pungent in the air as we walk into the room of the warehouse. The darkness that surrounds up is suffocating. It weighs heavy on my shoulders as we walk towards the only light source present. As we approach I can feel my heart getting heavier and heavier. Sitting in a chair, under the only light in the room is Mia. Her hair covers her face and his eyes are closed. Blood slowly drips from a deep cut in her stomach and her neck seems like it was torn apart at some point. I don't hesitate to take off in her direction, but before I can reach her the lights go out. The warehouse is plunged into darkness.

"What the hell?" Paul says.

A voice rises from the darkness, surrounding us on all sides.

"Nice of you to join us. Although, if I'm recalling correctly I did revoke your invitation to this party."

"Where is Mia?" Gabriel asks.

"Ahh, Gabriel Wolfe. It's been a long time, old friend."

"Where is my daughter, Asher?" he growls.

Laughter fills the air as the lights come back on, one by one. The last light to come on is the one placed directly above Mia.

"Right here."

I run towards her and sink to my knees in front of her. Brushing her hair out of her face, I cup her cheek.

"Mia?" I say.

She groans, but her eyes don't open.

"Mia? Can you hear me?" I ask.

Her eyes instantly flash open at the sound of my voice and I jerk away from her. There's no way, it's not possible. She can't be...she's a Wolfe, shifter is in her blood. It's her lineage, she can't be turned.

"Mia?" Gabriel asks, walking towards her.

"Gabriel, wait. She's not..."

He stops in his tracks when he sees her eyes. Suddenly, Asher is right behind her. He gazes at her fondly, stroking her cheek.

"What do you think? I know it's quite the change, but I think it is a vast improvement on what she once was."

"You son of a bit..."

Gabriel starts to move forward again, but Asher holds up a wooden stake to Mia's chest.

"One wrong move, Wolfe and she is dead for good. Unless you, of course, want her dead. After all, she is the very thing you all swore to destroy and defend the innocent from. Does that rule apply to her? Are you willing to kill your own daughter just to protect the reservation?"

He holds the wooden stake out, "if so then take it. By all means, do it, you know what she is. You also know that she is capable of more destruction than anything on this planet, living or dead. So...take it. Plunge it into her heart and rid the world of this abomination."

Gabriel doesn't move and we all stand frozen, unsure of what to do. Asher pulls the stake back to him and clicks his tongue.

"Can't do it? That's a shame, I was really hoping to see the great alpha, Gabriel Wolfe in action once again."

"Asher, please," Gabriel says.

"Please what, Gabriel? Please let her go? I can't do that. You see I rather enjoy her company and I think I will enjoy it even more once she rips all of your hearts and gives them to me. In fact, I think it's time to wake her up."

Asher bites his wrist and holds it up to Mia's mouth. I watch in horror as Mia comes to and drinks deeply from his wound. He pulls it away after a few minutes and smiles before stroking her hair.

"Now, who should I set her on first? Perhaps, daddy dearest? Or one of her closest friends? Or maybe...yes, I think lover boy here will do nicely for a first kill."

I want to get away from them, I know that I should. But, a part of me can't leave Mia. It is like I'm frozen in place like my body has no control over what it does anymore. I watch as Mia's eyes focus on me and my heart drops...


	16. Chapter Sixteen

    When I open my eyes, the colors of the world are more vibrant and real. It's like I'm seeing things for the first time, hearing things for the first time. My vision focuses on Seth or rather Seth's neck. All I can hear is the sound of blood rushing through his veins. Asher kneels down in front of me.

"My sweet, it's time for your spectacular debut."

His eyes contract and it's like I am under some sort of trance. Like I will do anything to make him happy, anything he tells me to do.

"I want you to rip his heart out and kill anyone who gets in your way."

He undoes my restraints and I rub my wrist. My throat feels like it is on fire.

"Go ahead, quench your thirst."

Asher steps away as I focus entirely on Seth.

"Mia, listen to me. You don't want to do this."

Seth stands up and I focus on the movement. He holds up his hands as if surrendering.

"Mia..."

"Seth, you need to get back," Gabriel says.

"No, I'm not going anywhere. Mia is stronger than this. She can beat this," Seth says.

"Seth..."

"Gabriel, I'm not leaving her."

All I can focus on is the sound of the blood rushing through their veins. The sweet sound of their hearts beating. I can almost feel what it would be like to have the power to stop that sound. I can feel my inner predator dying to get out, clawing at me to let it out. Asher yawns and slowly claps.

"You are all boring me! How about we make this a bit more interesting."

The room is plunged into darkness and everything goes red...

"No, Mia!" I hear someone yell.

I don't listen; all I can think about is the warm sweet blood pouring into my mouth. All I want to do is stop the insane burning in my throat.

"Sam, don't!" Gabriel yells.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

When I finally come to, the smell of blood floods my senses and I feel sick to my stomach. I heave myself up and watch in horror as I vomit what can only be blood. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I take in my surroundings. What I see makes me wish I was still unconscious. Paul is in wolf form, pinned underneath a beam. His breaths are shallow and he is whimpering in pain. Quil and Embry are both unconscious, their throats almost are torn out. Sam is in wolf form and has a metal pole through his abdomen that is pinning him to the floor. Leah is against the wall, unconscious with her arm bent at an unnatural angle. Gabriel is nowhere to be found and Seth...Seth is...

My heart drops into the pit of my stomach as I hit my knees. Tears start pouring down my face as I cradle his head in my lap.

"Seth, please wake up."

Red, hot blood pours from his neck when I press my hand to it. I look around for someone to help, but there is no one.

"Please, you can't be... I can't lose you," I cry.

I look around at everyone again and then down at my hands. I did this, this is my fault. A sound comes from the far end of the warehouse and a man and woman come through the door. Blonde and more handsome than any movie star ever to walk the earth, his complexion matches that of the woman's. The only differences between the two being her face are heart-shaped and billows of soft, caramel colored hair. It takes me a minute to realize that I know the man.

"Dr. Cullen?"

He is by my side in a flash, kneeling down on the other side of Seth. His companion, the woman kneels down next to me. She slowly reaches out a hand to take mine away from Seth's neck.

"It's okay. You can let go," she says.

"No..."

"Mia, I need you to look at me," Dr. Cullen says.

I look up at him and his bright topaz colored eyes.

"It's going to be okay. I'm going to take care of them, but right now I need you to go with Esme. We have to get you out of here before more wolves show up. What happened here is going to cause more of them to turn."

Ignoring the last part of his statement, I focus on the first half.

"You can save them?"

He is interrupted from answering my question by a small pixie-like girl with short, dark hair darting in.

"Carlisle, they're here."

He looks at Esme, directing his words at her.

"You must go now. Take her back to the house, tell Jasper and Rosalie to keep her safe."

"What are you guys going to do?" the girl asks.

"I am going to try to convince the wolves to let me help them," Carlisle says, standing up.

A howl fills the air and Carlisle looks at Esme.

"Go."

They called Esme helps me to my feet. 

"You must run child, run and don't look back. I will be right behind you."

"But..."

A dark wolf comes bursting into the room and the woman pushes me away.

"Run, now!"

I run faster than I ever thought possible. All I can think about is that I am leaving my friends behind, that I am leaving Seth behind. I know that I can't turn back though, that there is no fixing what I've done. So, I run... I run until I can no longer see the images of their bodies in my head. I run until I can no longer smell the blood of pouring out of Seth's neck. I run until I can no longer hear the sound of Paul in pain. I run until I forget everything...


	18. Epilogue

There's a soft knock on the door.

"Can I come in?"

I turn away from the window and towards the door as it comes open to reveal one of my favorite people in the world...Edward Cullen. He's become like a brother to me the past couple of months. Even though his supermodel good looks make me want to punch him in the face.

"He's out there again," he says.

"Ed..."

"Just go talk to him, Mia. He's clearly not bad if he's spent the past three months on the property line waiting for you."

"You know I can't do that."

"Why not? He still loves you. I can hear it in his thoughts, he just wants to know why you won't talk to him."

"I almost kil...."

I take a steadying breath, "I almost killed him, Edward. The so-called love of my life and I ripped his throat out. Not to mention what I did to the pack, itself. I almost killed all of them. I can't just pretend that everything is okay after what I did."

Edwards sighs, "at least call your father back and let him know you're okay. He's getting tired of getting updates from Carlisle and Esme."

"I'll think about it," I say.

"That's all I'm asking you to do," Edward says.

He leaves and closes the door behind him. I turn my attention back to the window. I know he's out there waiting for me, I can feel him. My heart calls to him as his does to mine. I can't have him though, I know that now. He belongs to the girl I once was not the monster that I am now.

         _He can feel her heartbeat like it is his own. Oh, how he enjoyed watching her rip that little pack apart. Now, though he had another obstacle keeping her away from him. The Cullens had shown up before he could come and take her back. They had moved her, taught her their ways, corrupted her. She was his though, she would always be his. He had her once and he would have her again. He takes a picture of the wall and lightly touches it._

_"Mine."_

**Author's Note: And that's it. I hope you guys really enjoyed the story. I was thinking about doing a little Q & A type thing if you guys had any questions about the story or me or writing in general so send me some questions! Anyway, thanks for reading!-Jess**


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